Ball feeding mechanism, and ball and valve body assembling device and method

Abstract

A ball feeding mechanism, and a ball and valve body assembling device and method. The ball and valve body assembling device comprises: the feeding mechanism, a supporting rotating disc (20), and a transferring mechanism (400), wherein the feeding mechanism body comprises a pair of feeding assemblies (530) and ball shifting blocks (543); when a plurality of balls (12) sequentially enter, a pair of first conveying belts (532) reversely rotate at the same speed, such that longitudinally adjacent support seats (533) abut the balls (12) for lateral conveying; and when the ball shifting blocks (543) move, the ball shifting blocks (543) can make elastic contact with the circumferences of the balls (12) and drive the balls (12) to rotate, or can pass through valve rod holes (14) of the balls without making contact. The transferring mechanism (400) comprises a sliding block (431), a first support arm (432), and a third support plate (440); when the sliding block (431) moves up and down, a support shaft (433) moves up and down, and the other end of the support shaft (433) is slidably located in a guide groove (441) by means of a third support arm (437), such that during the movement of the support shaft (433), a second support arm (434), which is in synchronous rotation, performs a 90° flip. The ball feeding mechanism, and the ball and valve body assembling device and method allow for uniform arrangement of balls at a specific angle, and implement clamping, flipping, releasing, and downward-pressing operations performed on the balls, thereby completing assembly of the balls, valve bodies (11), and valve rods.

Description

A ball core feeding mechanism, a ball core and valve body assembly device, and an assembly method. Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to ball core assembly technology, belonging to the field of ball valve processing, and specifically to a ball core feeding mechanism, a ball core and valve body assembly device, and an assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] Ball valves are key control components in fluid transport systems, mainly used for opening and closing pipelines, controlling flow direction, and regulating and controlling the parameters of the transported medium. The main components of a ball valve include a ball core 12, a valve body 11, a valve stem, a valve cap, and corresponding seals. When assembling a ball valve, the valve body 11 needs to be fixed first and the seals placed. Then, the valve stem is passed through the valve body 11 from the inside for connection. Next, the ball core 12 is installed inside the valve body 11 and matched with the valve stem. Finally, the valve cap is glued and assembled with the valve body 11. Technical issues

[0003] As shown in Figure 13, the ball core 12 is provided with a through hole 13 for the medium to pass through and a valve stem hole 14 that matches the valve stem. During the assembly of the ball core 12 and the valve body 11, in order to ensure that the valve stem hole 14 corresponds to the valve stem, the ball core 12 needs to be fed at a specific angle. Manual operation has problems such as insufficient installation position accuracy and low efficiency, which cannot meet the requirements of mass production. Some automatic feeding mechanisms for the ball core 12 mainly use vibration to make the ball core 12 face a certain angle. This method can easily cause damage to the surface of the ball core 12 during the feeding process, reducing the sealing quality of the ball valve. Technical solutions

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a ball core feeding mechanism that, while clamping and laterally conveying the sequentially entering ball cores, enables the ball cores to be uniformly calibrated at a specific angle, facilitating the assembly of the ball cores in the next process and preventing damage to the ball cores during the feeding process.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a ball core feeding mechanism is provided, comprising:

[0006] The fixed plate has a horizontally arranged strip groove in the middle; the rotating platform is located on one side of the horizontal strip groove and is configured to receive the calibrated ball core.

[0007] The feeding assemblies are in pairs and are symmetrically located on both sides of the strip groove in the longitudinal direction. Each feeding assembly includes:

[0008] Multiple first rollers are axially vertically rotatably connected to a fixed plate, and one of the first rollers is driven to rotate; a first conveyor belt is wound around the outside of the multiple first rollers; multiple support seats are rotatably mounted on the first conveyor belt at intervals;

[0009] In this process, multiple ball cores enter in sequence, and a pair of first conveyor belts rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, so that the longitudinally adjacent support seats can connect with the through holes of the ball cores and transport the ball cores to the platform to be rotated.

[0010] The feeding assembly, located below the fixed plate, includes:

[0011] The feeding block is driven to move within the strip groove;

[0012] When the feeding block moves, it can make elastic contact with the periphery of the ball core and drive the ball core to rotate, or it can pass through the valve stem hole of the ball core without contacting it.

[0013] In some examples of the present invention, a pair of first conveyor belts form a first channel that is parallel to each other near the platform to be rotated, and a second channel with a conical structure that is far away from the platform to be rotated.

[0014] In some examples of the present invention, the feeding assembly further includes:

[0015] At least two second rollers are located below the fixed plate, one of which is driven to rotate; a second conveyor belt is wound around the outside of the second rollers; and multiple material feeding blocks are spaced apart on the second conveyor belt.

[0016] In some examples of the present invention, the rotating platform is provided with a limiting plate on the side away from the fixed plate, a receiving plate and a positioning plate in the middle; the limiting plate is configured to block the ball core laterally; the receiving plate is matched with the circumference of the ball core at the top and receives it; the positioning plate is arranged laterally and can be embedded in the valve stem hole of the ball core.

[0017] In some examples of the present invention, the shafts of the longitudinally adjacent first rollers rotate in opposite directions at the same speed through a pair of gear assemblies; each gear assembly includes a first gear and a second gear, the first gear being coaxially fixed to one of the first rollers, and the second gear being rotatably mounted on a fixed plate;

[0018] In this configuration, the longitudinally adjacent second gears mesh with each other; one of the gear assemblies is connected to the drive component.

[0019] The present invention also aims to provide a ball core and valve body assembly device with a simple and compact overall structure. The device clamps, flips, releases, and presses down the ball core to complete the assembly between the ball core and the valve body and valve stem, thus avoiding manual operation.

[0020] A ball core and valve body assembly device, comprising:

[0021] The aforementioned ball core feeding mechanism includes a supporting turntable with a fixed support for receiving the valve body.

[0022] Transfer agencies, including:

[0023] Multiple clamping plates are mounted on the second support arm and driven to move closer and further apart from each other; one end of the second support arm is mounted on the support shaft; the support shaft is driven to rotate from the upward vertical direction to the horizontal direction; when the support shaft rotates, the multiple clamping plates move between the fixed support and the platform to be rotated; the lower pressure plate is located above the fixed support and is driven to move up and down to contact the ball core.

[0024] In some examples of the present invention, the transfer mechanism further includes:

[0025] The slider is driven to slide up and down and is mounted on the second support plate; the first support arm is fixedly connected to the slider at one end and extends to be rotatably connected to the support shaft at the other end; the third support plate is fixedly connected to the second support plate and is provided with a quarter-circular guide groove.

[0026] One end of the support shaft is fixedly connected to the third arm, and the other end of the third arm slides within the guide groove.

[0027] In some examples of the present invention, the second support plate is slidably mounted on the first support plate, and the first support plate is fixed on the support platform;

[0028] The transfer mechanism also includes:

[0029] The pressing component has an elastic element; the elastic element is located between the second support plate and the support platform, so that the second support plate is subjected to an upward elastic force and is positioned at a higher position relative to the first support plate.

[0030] In some examples of the present invention, the pressing assembly further includes a sleeve and a limiting rod; the sleeve is located between the support platform and the second support plate; the limiting rod is fixedly connected to the support platform, its upper end passes through the second support plate and is threaded with a second nut;

[0031] The elastic element is fitted onto the sleeve, with its upper end in contact with the second support plate and its lower end in contact with the first nut. The first nut is threaded onto the sleeve.

[0032] A method for assembling a ball core and a valve body specifically includes the following steps:

[0033] S1, a pair of first conveyor belts rotate in opposite directions at the same speed. Multiple ball cores with through holes are arranged longitudinally and enter between the pair of first conveyor belts in sequence. The longitudinally adjacent support seats on the pair of first conveyor belts clamp the through holes of the ball cores and transport them laterally. During the transport process, the feeding block moves in the strip groove. When the valve stem hole of the ball core is not facing downward, the feeding block can elastically contact the surface of the ball core to feed it, allowing the ball core to rotate on the support seat until the valve stem hole of the ball core faces downward and passes smoothly through the feeding block. When the valve stem hole of the ball core faces downward, the feeding block can pass through the valve stem hole of the ball core without contact, without affecting the feeding block's feeding of other ball cores. After the transported ball core is calibrated by feeding, the ball core is transported laterally to the waiting platform.

[0034] S2, the support turntable rotates, rotating the valve body with the valve stem assembled on it to the assembly station; the second cylinder drives the slider to move upward, and drives the support shaft to move upward through the first arm. The other end of the support shaft slides in the guide groove through the third arm, so that the support shaft rotates 90° clockwise during the movement. The second arm fixed to the support shaft flips from the horizontal to the vertical position, and a pair of clamping plates are longitudinally located on both sides of the ball core through hole on the platform to be rotated, clamping the ball core end side;

[0035] S3, after the ball core is clamped at the end, the slider moves downward, and the support shaft rotates 90° counterclockwise during the movement. The second arm fixed to the support shaft flips from vertical to horizontal position, and the ball core is located on the valve body to be assembled, and the valve stem hole on the ball core is radially arranged to match the valve stem. Then the clamping plate releases the ball core, the lower pressure plate moves downward, pushes the ball core into the valve body, and the valve stem hole matches the valve stem.

[0036] S4, while the ball core is being assembled with the valve body, the next ball core is horizontally conveyed to the waiting platform for transfer and assembly; the support turntable continues to rotate, transferring the assembled valve body, and simultaneously rotating the next valve body with the valve stem assembled to the assembly station; the second arm continues to flip from horizontal to vertical position, and a pair of clamping plates clamp the end side of the ball core; then the second arm flips from vertical to horizontal position, the pair of clamping plates release the end side of the ball core, the lower pressure plate moves downward, pushing the ball core into the valve body, and matching the valve stem hole with the valve stem; the assembly between the ball core and the valve body is repeated in sequence. Beneficial effects

[0037] Compared with existing technologies, this ball core feeding mechanism clamps and laterally conveys sequentially entering ball cores through a feeding assembly, and a dispensing assembly dispenses the ball cores, causing them to rotate and be aligned on the first conveyor belt. The valve stem holes on the ball cores are arranged downwards, achieving a uniform arrangement of the ball cores at a specific angle, which facilitates the assembly of the ball cores in the next process and avoids damage to the ball cores during feeding. In addition, the pair of first conveyor belts form a first parallel channel and a second channel with a conical angle structure, which can gradually clamp the ball cores and achieve a preliminary alignment effect, preventing misalignment between the ball cores and the support base, and ensuring the stability of the lateral conveying of the ball cores.

[0038] A ball core and valve body assembly device, under the action of a transfer mechanism, flips the ball core. The ball core valve stem hole, calibrated by the ball core feeding mechanism, faces downward. After rotation, the ball core valve stem hole faces radially outward, enabling it to match the valve stem. The overall structure is simple and compact. The device clamps, flips, releases, and presses down the ball core to complete the assembly between the ball core, valve body, and valve stem, avoiding manual operation. In addition, the rotating support turntable can pass through multiple stations sequentially, facilitating the unified operation of other stations.

[0039] Since the second support plate is slidably mounted on the first support plate, and there is an elastic element between the second support plate and the support platform, when the second support arm is rotated 90° to the horizontal position, the third support arm is located at the bottom of the guide groove and cannot move, thus limiting the movement. The slider can drive the second support plate to move downward on the first support plate, so that the ball core can move vertically after being rotated 90° and assembled, so as to achieve better docking between the ball core and the valve body and avoid the problem of mutual collision and damage.

[0040] Additionally, the elastic element is fitted onto the upper and lower ends of the sleeve and contacts the first nut. The upper end of the limiting rod passes through the second support plate and is threaded with the second nut. By adjusting the position of the first nut on the sleeve, the elastic force of the elastic element can be adjusted to suit different usage environments. By adjusting the position of the second nut on the limiting rod, the second support arm can be rotated 90° from horizontal to vertical and then continue to move upward a certain distance to facilitate the clamping plate acting on both ends of the ball core. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a ball core feeding mechanism according to the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 is a top view of a ball core feeding mechanism according to the present invention;

[0043] Figure 3 is a bottom view of a ball core feeding mechanism according to the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the feeding assembly in a ball core feeding mechanism of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the platform to be transferred in this invention;

[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a ball core and valve body assembly device of the present invention (the lower pressure cylinder and lower pressure plate are not shown).

[0047] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a ball core and valve body assembly device according to the present invention (ignoring the support turntable).

[0048] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the transfer mechanism in a ball core and valve body assembly device of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 9 is a partial schematic diagram of the transfer mechanism in a ball core and valve body assembly device of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 10 is a left view of the transfer mechanism in a ball core and valve body assembly device of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 11 is a front view of the clamping plate gripping the ball core in a ball core and valve body assembly device of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 12 is a front view of the clamping plate releasing the ball core in the ball core and valve body assembly device of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the assembled spherical core structure;

[0054] In the diagram: 11. Valve body; 12. Ball core; 13. Through hole; 14. Valve stem hole; 20. Support turntable; 21. Fixed support; 30. Support platform; 400. Transfer mechanism; 410. First support plate; 420. Second support plate; 431. Slider; 432. First support arm; 433. Support shaft; 434. Second support arm; 435. First cylinder; 436. Clamping plate; 437. Third support arm; 440. Third support plate; 441. Guide groove; 451. Elastic element; 452. Sleeve; 453. First nut; 460. Limiting rod, 461, second nut; 470, second cylinder; 510, fixing plate, 511, strip groove; 520, waiting platform, 521, limiting plate, 522, receiving plate, 523, positioning plate; 530, feeding assembly, 531, first roller, 532, first conveyor belt, 533, support base; 540, feeding assembly, 541, second roller, 542, second conveyor belt, 543, feeding block; 550, gear assembly, 561, first channel, 562, second channel; 61, pressing cylinder, 62, pressing plate. Embodiments of the present invention

[0055] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same components. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0056] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this patent application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, “an” or “a” and similar terms do not necessarily indicate a quantity limitation. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described object changes.

[0057] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, this ball core feeding mechanism includes:

[0058] The fixed plate 510 has a horizontally arranged strip groove 511 in the middle; the rotating platform 520 is located on the horizontal side of the strip groove 511 and is configured to receive the calibrated ball core 12.

[0059] Feeding assemblies 530, in pairs, are longitudinally symmetrically located on both sides of the strip groove 511. Each set of feeding assemblies 530 includes:

[0060] Multiple first rollers 531 are axially vertically rotatably connected to a fixed plate 510, and one of the first rollers 531 is driven to rotate; a first conveyor belt 532 is wrapped around the outside of the multiple first rollers 531; multiple support seats 533 are rotatably mounted on the first conveyor belt 532 at intervals.

[0061] In this process, multiple ball cores 12 enter sequentially, and a pair of first conveyor belts 532 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, so that the longitudinally adjacent support seats 533 can dock with the through holes 13 of the ball cores 12 and transport the ball cores 12 to the waiting platform 520.

[0062] The feeding assembly 540, located below the fixing plate 510, includes:

[0063] The feeding block 543 is driven to move within the strip groove 511; wherein, when the feeding block 543 moves, the feeding block 543 can elastically contact the periphery of the ball core 12 and drive the ball core 12 to rotate, or not contact the valve stem hole 14 through the ball core 12.

[0064] Specifically, the fixed plate 510 is the main support component of the ball core feeding mechanism. Its overall structure can be horizontal or slightly tilted; when tilted, the end facing the rotating platform 520 faces downwards. The strip groove 511 on the fixed plate 510 is used to move the feeding block 543. Multiple first rollers 531 in the feeding assembly 530 are rotatably mounted on the fixed plate 510 according to usage conditions. One of the first rollers 531 is driven to rotate, causing the first conveyor belt 532 surrounding it to rotate. The first conveyor belt 532 is configured to transport the sequentially entering balls... The core 12 is conveyed laterally; the first conveyor belt 532 is provided with multiple evenly spaced support seats 533, each support seat 533 consisting of a support shaft and a seat body. One end of the support shaft is fixedly mounted on the first conveyor belt 532, and the other end is rotatably fitted with the seat body. This rotation is slightly damped to prevent the feeding block 543 from contacting the core 12 during feeding, which could cause excessive rotation of the seat body due to inertia, preventing the valve stem hole 14 on the core 12 from facing downwards. The feeding assembly 540 is configured to feed the core 12 on the first conveyor belt 532. The valve stem hole 14 is calibrated so that it faces downwards. In use, a pair of first conveyor belts 532 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed. Multiple balls 12 sequentially enter between the pair of first conveyor belts 532 and are laterally conveyed by the pair of first conveyor belts 532. Note that "sequential entry of the balls 12" means that the through holes 13 of the balls 12 are arranged longitudinally along their axes and matched with the speed of the first conveyor belts 532, so that the longitudinally adjacent support seats 533 on the first conveyor belts 532 can be inserted into the through holes 13 of the balls 12. After the ball core 12 is clamped and fixed, it moves laterally. As an embodiment in which the ball core 12 enters in sequence, an adjustment mechanism can be added before the ball core feeding mechanism. The adjustment mechanism includes a slightly inclined base plate and a pair of longitudinally arranged baffles. The distance between the baffles is greater than the distance between the two ends of the through hole 13 of the ball core 12 and less than the diameter of the ball core 12, so that the ball core 12 can roll between the pair of baffles. An electrically controlled opening and closing door is provided at one end of the base plate near the ball core feeding mechanism. The opening and closing door opens in sequence, and the ball core 12 enters between the pair of conveyor belts in sequence.

[0065] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, after the ball cores 12 enter sequentially, the longitudinally arranged support seats 533 on the pair of first conveyor belts 532 clamp the through holes 13 of the ball cores 12 and transport them laterally. During the transport process, the feeding block 543 moves within the strip groove 511. Since the ball cores 12 are rotatably mounted on the support seats 533 and the feeding block 543 can avoid contact with the valve stem holes 14 of the ball cores 12, when the valve stem holes 14 of the ball cores 12 are not arranged downwards, the feeding block... The material block 543 can elastically contact the surface of the ball core 12 to push the material, so that the ball core 12 rotates on the support 533 until the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 faces downward and passes smoothly through the material pushing block 543. When the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 is arranged downward, the material pushing block 543 does not contact the surface of the ball core 12, that is, the material pushing block 543 can pass through the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 without contact, which does not affect the material pushing block 543 to push other ball cores 12.

[0066] Preferably, the feeding block 543 is an elastic structure, which can be a semi-circular protrusion structure or a wedge-shaped structure with an inclined upper surface; the highest point of the feeding block 543 can contact the surface of the ball core 12 and be embedded in the valve stem hole 14; in addition, there is a speed difference between the movement of the feeding block 543 and the conveying of the ball core 12; after the conveyed ball core 12 is calibrated by feeding (valve stem hole 14 facing down), it is laterally conveyed to the waiting platform 520, waiting for the next process; this ball core feeding mechanism clamps and laterally conveys the ball cores 12 that enter sequentially through the feeding assembly 530, and the feeding assembly 540 feeds the ball core 12, so that the ball core 12 is rotated and calibrated on the first conveyor belt 532, and the valve stem hole 14 on the ball core 12 is arranged facing down, so that the ball core 12 is uniformly arranged at a specific angle, which facilitates the assembly of the ball core 12 in the next process and avoids damage to the ball core 12.

[0067] In some examples of the present invention, as shown in FIG2, a pair of first conveyor belts 532 form a first channel 561 that is parallel to each other near the platform to be rotated 520, and a second channel 562 with a conical structure that is far away from the platform to be rotated 520.

[0068] Specifically, each feeding assembly 530 may have three first rollers 531, two of which are arranged laterally and the other is longitudinally biased towards one of the first rollers 531. The first conveyor belt 532 is wrapped around the outside of the three first rollers 531, and a first channel 561 and a second channel 562 are formed between a pair of first conveyor belts 532. The second channel 562 facilitates the sequential entry of the ball core 12, and the ball core 12 is gradually clamped by the support seat 533, achieving a preliminary alignment effect and preventing misalignment between the ball core 12 and the support seat 533. The longitudinal distance of the first channel 561 is slightly larger than the distance between the two ends of the through hole 13 on the ball core 12, which can drive the ball core 12 to be clamped and transversely conveyed.

[0069] In some examples of the present invention, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the feeding assembly 540 further includes:

[0070] At least two second rollers 541 are located below the fixed plate 510, one of which is driven to rotate; a second conveyor belt 542 is wrapped around the outside of the second rollers 541; a plurality of material feeding blocks 543 are spaced apart on the second conveyor belt 542;

[0071] Specifically, when there are two second rollers 541, they are arranged laterally; when there are multiple second rollers 541, the others are used for tensioning. One of the second rollers 541 is connected to the drive motor. When the drive motor rotates, it drives the second conveyor belt 542 to rotate, causing the material-pushing blocks 543 on the second conveyor belt 542 to continuously act on different ball cores 12. When the material-pushing block 543 is a wedge-shaped structure with an inclined upper end face, in order to avoid the influence of the second conveyor belt 542 on the material-pushing block 543 during the winding process, the material-pushing block is... The lower inclined end of block 543 is rotatably connected to the second conveyor belt 542 via a small-sized ear seat. The rotation direction of the second conveyor belt 542 matches the wedge-shaped structure of the material-pulling block 543, so that when the second conveyor belt 542 drives the material-pulling block 543 to rotate to the upper position, the material-pulling block 543 can automatically rotate and fit against the second conveyor belt 542. In addition, the material-pulling block 543 can also reciprocate within the strip groove 511. For example, the material-pulling block 543 is provided with a rack, and the fixed plate 510 is provided with a gear that meshes with the rack.

[0072] In some examples of the present invention, as shown in FIG5, the rotating platform 520 is provided with a limiting plate 521 on the side away from the fixing plate 510, a receiving plate 522 and a positioning plate 523 in the middle; the limiting plate 521 is configured to block the ball core 12 laterally; the receiving plate 522 is matched with the periphery of the ball core 12 at the top and receives it; the positioning plate 523 is arranged laterally and can be embedded in the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12.

[0073] Specifically, the transfer platform 520 is used to receive the calibrated ball core 12 to facilitate the next process.

[0074] In some examples of the present invention, the shafts of the longitudinally adjacent first rollers 531 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed via a gear assembly 540; the gear assembly 540 is connected to the drive component;

[0075] Specifically, the driving component can be a servo motor; the gear assembly 540 can be a pair, each gear assembly 540 includes a first gear and a second gear, the first gear is coaxially fixed to one of the first rollers 531, and the second gear is rotatably mounted on the fixed plate 510; the longitudinally adjacent second gears are meshed with each other; the first gear or the second gear is driven to rotate by the servo motor, so the gear assembly 540 realizes the same speed and opposite rotation of a pair of first conveyor belts 532, ensuring that the support seats 533 on a pair of first conveyor belts 532 can clamp and transport the ball core 12 longitudinally adjacent to each other.

[0076] As shown in Figures 6 to 9, 11, and 12, a ball core and valve body assembly device includes:

[0077] The aforementioned ball core feeding mechanism; the supporting turntable 20, which is provided with a fixed support 21 for receiving the valve body 11; the transfer mechanism 400, including:

[0078] Multiple clamping plates 436 are mounted on the second arm 434 and are driven to move closer to each other and further apart; one end of the second arm 434 is mounted on the support shaft 433; the support shaft 433 is driven to rotate from the upward vertical direction to the horizontal direction.

[0079] When the support shaft 433 rotates, multiple clamping plates 436 move between the fixed support 21 and the rotating platform 520; the lower pressure plate 62 is located above the fixed support 21 and is driven to move up and down to contact the ball core 12.

[0080] Specifically, the support turntable 20 is driven to rotate, and there can be multiple fixed supports 21 on it for supporting the corresponding valve bodies 11 and for performing different processes. Preferably, there are six fixed supports 21, which are evenly arranged. Correspondingly, there are six workstations on one side of the support turntable 20, including a workstation for placing the valve body 11, a seal assembly workstation, a valve stem assembly workstation, a ball core 12 assembly workstation, a valve cap assembly workstation, and a ball valve unloading workstation after assembly. The fixed supports 21 are provided with slots so that the valve body 11 is oriented in a certain direction, that is, the valve stem is arranged radially and away from the axis of the support turntable 20. The transfer mechanism 400 is configured to transfer the ball core 12 placed at a certain angle on the platform to be rotated 520 to the fixed supports. 21 is positioned on the valve stem and can be matched with the radially outwardly placed valve stem; as an embodiment of the transfer mechanism 400, the transfer mechanism 400 is a robotic arm; clamping plates 436 are used to grip and release the ball core 12, preferably, a pair of clamping plates 436 are arranged longitudinally and mounted on the first cylinder 435 with dual output; a pressing plate 62 is located above the fixed support 21 at the ball core 12 assembly station and is mounted at the lower end of the pressing cylinder 61, and is moved up and down by the pressing cylinder 61, that is, used to press the placed ball core 12 down into the valve body 11; the support shaft 433 can be connected to a servo motor, and the ball core 12 and the fixed support 21 are sensed by a position sensor, and the controller controls the servo motor to drive the support shaft. 433 rotates; when this ball core and valve body assembly device is in use, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, a ball core feeding mechanism feeds the ball core 12, so that the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 faces downward and is located on the waiting platform 520 for rotation; the transfer mechanism 400 is activated, that is, the support shaft 433 rotates, driving the second arm 434 to flip to a vertical position. At this time, a pair of clamping plates 436 are longitudinally located on both sides of the through hole 13 of the ball core 12 on the waiting platform 520. The first cylinder 435 is activated to drive the clamping plates 436 to clamp the through hole 13 end of the ball core 12; the support shaft 433 then rotates, driving the second arm 434 to flip to a horizontal position, that is, the ball core 12 is located on the valve body 11 of the fixed support 21. On the ball core 12, the valve stem hole 14 matches the valve stem. The clamping plate 436 then releases the ball core 12. Then, the pressing cylinder 61 drives the pressing plate 62 to move downward, pushing the ball core 12 into the valve body 11, and the valve stem hole 14 matches the valve stem. During the operation of the transfer mechanism 400, the ball core 12 is flipped. The valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 on the rotating platform 520 faces downward. After rotation, the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 faces outward radially, that is, away from the axis of the supporting turntable 20, and can match the valve stem. This ball core and valve body assembly device has a simple and compact structure. The ball core 12 is clamped, flipped, released, and pressed down to complete the assembly between the ball core 12 and the valve body 11 and the valve stem.

[0081] In some examples of the present invention, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the transfer mechanism 400 further includes:

[0082] The slider 431 is driven to slide up and down and is mounted on the second support plate 420; the first support arm 432 is fixedly connected to the slider 431 at one end and extends to be rotatably connected to the support shaft 433 at the other end; the third support plate 440 is fixedly connected to the second support plate 420 and is provided with a quarter-circular guide groove 441.

[0083] One end of the support shaft 433 is fixedly connected to the third arm 437, and the other end of the third arm 437 is slidably located in the guide groove 441.

[0084] Specifically, the slider 431 is slidably connected to the second support plate 420 via the first linear slide rail, and the telescopic end of the second cylinder 470 fixed on the support platform 30 is connected to the slider 431; the third support plate 440 is fixedly arranged, and as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the guide groove 441 on the third support plate 440 is located in the third quadrant.

[0085] In this example, the slider 431 moves up and down, driving the support shaft 433 to move up and down via the first arm 432. The other end of the support shaft 433 slides within the guide groove 441 via the third arm 437, causing the support shaft 433 to rotate 90° during the movement. The second arm 434, which is fixed to the support shaft 433, also rotates 90°. That is, when the other end of the third arm 437 is at the uppermost end of the guide groove 441, the support shaft 433 drives the second arm 434 to rotate to a vertical position. When the other end of the third arm 437 is at the lowermost end of the guide groove 441, the support shaft 433 drives the second arm 434 to rotate to a horizontal position. By rotating the support shaft 433 and the second arm 434 by 90°, the transfer of the ball core 12 between the rotating platform 520 and the fixed support 21 is completed.

[0086] In some examples of the present invention, as shown in Figures 8 to 12, the second support plate 420 is slidably mounted on the first support plate 410, and the first support plate 410 is fixed on the support platform 30.

[0087] The transfer mechanism 400 also includes:

[0088] The pressing assembly has an elastic element 451; the elastic element 451 is located between the second support plate 420 and the support platform 30, so that the second support plate 420 is subjected to an upward elastic force and is positioned at a higher position relative to the first support plate 410.

[0089] Specifically, when the second arm 434 rotates 90° from vertical to horizontal, the ball core 12 contacts the valve body 11 on the fixed support 21. Because the movement trajectory of the second arm 434 is arc-shaped, when the ball core 12 contacts the valve body 11, incomplete docking and mutual collision damage are likely to occur.

[0090] In this example, the second support plate 420 slides on the first support plate 410 via the second linear slide rail. When the second support arm 434 rotates 90° to a horizontal position, the third support arm 437 is located at the bottom of the guide groove 441 and cannot move, thus being limited. There is a certain height between the ball core 12 and the valve body 11. Then, the second cylinder 470 continues to drive the slider 431 to move downward. Due to the limitation of the third support arm 437 in the guide groove 441, the second support plate 420 moves downward on the first support plate 410. That is, the first support plate 410, and the slider 431 on it, and the slider... The first arm 432 on 431 and the support shaft 433 connected to the first arm 432 both move downward to compress the elastic element 451. During the downward movement, the second arm 434 can elastically and vertically place the ball core 12 on the valve body 11 to avoid collision and damage. After the ball core 12 is placed, the second cylinder 470 drives the slider 431 to move upward, and under the action of the elastic element 451, the second support plate 420 moves upward on the first support plate 410. That is, the second arm 434 first moves upward and then flips from the horizontal position to the vertical position.

[0091] In some examples of the present invention, as shown in Figures 8, 10 to 12, the pressing assembly further includes a sleeve 452 and a limiting rod 460; the sleeve 452 is located between the support platform 30 and the second support plate 420; the limiting rod 460 is fixedly connected to the support platform 30, with its upper end passing through the second support plate 420 and threaded with a second nut 461;

[0092] Among them, the elastic element 451 is fitted on the sleeve 452, with its upper end in contact with the second support plate 420 and its lower end in contact with the first nut 453. The first nut 453 is threadedly installed on the sleeve 452.

[0093] Specifically, the elastic element 451 can be a cylindrical spring; the lower end of the sleeve 452 is fixed to the support platform 30 through a flange structure; by rotating the first nut 453 and adjusting its position on the sleeve 452, the elastic force of the elastic element 451 can be adjusted to suit different usage environments; the lower end of the limiting rod 460 is fixed to the support platform 30 and the upper end passes through the second support plate 420; the second nut 461 is threaded onto the limiting rod 460 to limit the second support plate 420, that is, by adjusting the position of the second nut 461, when the second cylinder 470 drives the slider 431 to move upward, the second support arm 434 rotates from the horizontal to the vertical position, and the third support arm 437 is limited at the highest point of the guide groove 441. At this time, the second cylinder 470 can continue to drive the second support plate 420 to move upward a certain distance and be limited by the second nut 461, so that the second support arm 434 flips upward and moves vertically, making it convenient for the clamping plate 436 to pick up the ball core 12;

[0094] In this example, by adjusting the position of the second nut 461 on the limit rod 460, the second arm 434 can be rotated 90° from horizontal to vertical and then continue to move upward a certain distance, so that the clamping plate 436 can act on both ends of the through hole 13 of the ball core 12.

[0095] A method for assembling a ball core and a valve body 11 specifically includes the following steps:

[0096] S1, a pair of first conveyor belts 532 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed. Multiple ball cores 12 with through holes 13 arranged longitudinally along their axes enter the pair of first conveyor belts 532 sequentially. The longitudinally adjacent support seats 533 on the pair of first conveyor belts 532 clamp the through holes 13 of the ball cores 12 and transport them laterally. During transport, the feeding block 543 moves within the strip groove 511. When the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 is not facing downwards, the feeding block 543 can elastically contact the surface of the ball core 12. The ball core 12 is rotated on the support base 533 until the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 is facing downwards and passes smoothly through the feeding block 543. When the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 is arranged downwards, the feeding block 543 can pass through the valve stem hole 14 of the ball core 12 without contact, without affecting the feeding block 543's feeding of other ball cores 12. After the conveyed ball core 12 is fed and calibrated, the ball core 12 is laterally conveyed to the waiting platform 520, waiting for the next process.

[0097] S2, the support turntable 20 rotates, rotating the valve body 11 on it with the valve stem assembled to the assembly station; the second cylinder 470 drives the slider 431 to move upward, and drives the support shaft 433 to move upward through the first support arm 432. The other end of the support shaft 433 slides in the guide groove 441 through the third support arm 437, so that the support shaft 433 rotates 90° clockwise during the movement. The second support arm 434 fixed on the support shaft 433 flips from the horizontal to the vertical position. A pair of clamping plates 436 are longitudinally located on both sides of the through hole 13 of the ball core 12 on the rotating platform 520, clamping the end side of the through hole 13 of the ball core 12.

[0098] S3, after clamping the ball core 12 at the end of the through hole 13, the slider 431 moves downward, and the support shaft 433 rotates 90° counterclockwise during the movement. The second arm 434 fixed on the support shaft 433 flips from vertical to horizontal position, and the ball core 12 is located on the valve body 11 to be assembled, and the valve stem hole 14 on the ball core 12 is radially arranged to match the valve stem. Then the clamping plate 436 releases the ball core 12, and the lower pressure plate 62 moves downward to push the ball core 12 into the valve body 11, and the valve stem hole 14 matches the valve stem.

[0099] S4, while the ball core 12 is being assembled with the valve body 11, the next ball core 12 is horizontally conveyed to the waiting platform 520, awaiting transfer and assembly; the support turntable 20 continues to rotate, transferring the assembled valve body 11, and simultaneously rotating the next valve body 11 with the valve stem assembled to the assembly station; the second arm 434 continues to flip from horizontal to vertical position, and a pair of clamping plates 436 clamp the end sides of the ball core 12; then the second arm 434 flips from vertical to horizontal position, the pair of clamping plates 436 release the end sides of the ball core 12, the lower pressure plate 62 moves downward, pushing the ball core 12 into the valve body 11, and matching the valve stem hole 14 with the valve stem; the assembly between the ball core 12 and the valve body 11 is repeated in sequence.

[0100] The foregoing description of an exemplary embodiment of the ball core feeding mechanism proposed by the present invention has been detailed with reference to preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and alterations can be made to the above specific embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, and various combinations can be made to the various technical features and structures proposed by the present invention without exceeding the protection scope of the present invention, which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

A ball core feeding mechanism characterized by, It includes: The fixed plate (510) is provided with a transversely arranged strip-shaped groove (511) in the middle; the rotating platform (520) is located on one side of the strip-shaped groove (511) in the transverse direction and is configured to receive the calibrated ball core (12); the feeding assembly (530) is a pair and is longitudinally symmetrically located on both sides of the strip-shaped groove (511), and each group of feeding assemblies (530) includes: A plurality of first rollers (531) are axially vertically rotatably connected to the fixed plate (510), and one of the first rollers (531) is driven to rotate; a first transmission belt (532) is wound around the outside of the plurality of first rollers (531); and a plurality of support seats (533) are rotatably installed on the first transmission belt (532) at intervals; Wherein, a plurality of ball cores (12) enter in sequence, a pair of first transmission belts (532) rotate at the same speed in opposite directions, so that longitudinally adjacent support seats (533) can be connected with the through hole (13) of the ball core (12) and transport the ball core (12) to the rotating platform (520); the material shifting assembly (540) is located below the fixed plate (510) and includes: The material shifting block (543) is driven to move in the strip-shaped groove (511); wherein, when the material shifting block (543) moves, the material shifting block (543) can elastically contact the ball core (12) on the side and drive the ball core (12) to rotate, or not contact the valve rod hole (14) of the ball core (12). A ball core feeding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein A pair of first transmission belts (532) form a first channel (561) parallel to each other near the rotating platform (520) and form a second channel (562) with a taper angle structure away from the rotating platform (520). A ball core feeding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The material shifting assembly (540) further includes: At least two second rollers (541) are located below the fixed plate (510), one of the second rollers (541) is driven to rotate; a second transmission belt (542) is wound around the outside of the second rollers (541); and a plurality of material shifting blocks (543) are located on the second transmission belt (542) at intervals. According to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The side of the rotating platform (520) away from the fixed plate (510) is provided with a limiting plate (521), a middle part is provided with a receiving plate (522) and a positioning plate (523); the limiting plate (521) is configured to block the ball core (12) in the transverse direction; the upper part of the receiving plate (522) matches the side of the ball core (12) and receives it; and the positioning plate (523) is arranged in the transverse direction and can be embedded in the valve rod hole (14) of the ball core (12). According to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The shafts of the longitudinally adjacent first rollers (531) are driven to rotate at the same speed in opposite directions through a pair of gear assemblies (550); each group of gear assemblies (550) includes a first gear and a second gear, the first gear is coaxially fixedly connected with one of the first rollers (531), and the second gear is rotatably installed on the fixed plate (510); wherein, the longitudinally adjacent second gears are connected with each other; and one of the gear assemblies (550) is connected with a driving member. A ball core and valve body assembly apparatus characterized by It includes: The ball core feeding mechanism of claim 1; Support the rotating disc (20), be equipped with the fixed support (21) of the valve body (11) is received; The transfer mechanism (400) comprises: A plurality of clamping plates (436) are installed on the second supporting arm (434) and are driven to approach or move away from each other; the second supporting arm (434) is installed at one end of the supporting shaft (433); the supporting shaft (433) is driven to rotate in the upward vertical direction to the horizontal direction; when the supporting shaft (433) rotates, the plurality of clamping plates (436) move between the fixed support (21) and the platform to be rotated (520); the lower pressing plate (62) is located above the fixed support (21) and is driven to move up and down to contact the ball core (12). The ball core and valve body assembly device according to claim 6, wherein, The transfer mechanism (400) further comprises: The sliding block (431) is driven to slide up and down and is installed on the second supporting plate (420); the first supporting arm (432) is fixedly connected at one end to the sliding block (431) and is rotatably connected at the other end to the supporting shaft (433); the third supporting plate (440) is fixedly connected to the second supporting plate (420) and is provided with a quarter-circular guide groove (441); Wherein, one end of the supporting shaft (433) is fixedly connected to the third supporting arm (437), and the other end of the third supporting arm (437) slides in the guide groove (441). The ball core and valve body assembly device according to claim 7, wherein, The second supporting plate (420) is slidably installed on the first supporting plate (410) in an up-and-down manner, and the first supporting plate (410) is fixed on the supporting platform (30); The transfer mechanism (400) further comprises: The lower pressing assembly has an elastic member (451); the elastic member (451) is located between the second supporting plate (420) and the supporting platform (30), so that the second supporting plate (420) is subjected to an upward elastic force and is located at a high position relative to the first supporting plate (410). The ball core and valve body assembly device according to claim 8, wherein, The lower pressing assembly further has a sleeve (452) and a limiting rod (460); the sleeve (452) is located between the supporting platform (30) and the second supporting plate (420); the limiting rod (460) is fixedly connected to the supporting platform (30), the upper end penetrates through the second supporting plate (420) and is screwed with a second nut (461); wherein, the elastic member (451) is sleeved on the sleeve (452), the upper end is in contact with the second supporting plate (420), and the lower end is in contact with a first nut (453); the first nut (453) is screwed on the sleeve (452). The assembly method of the ball core and valve body assembly device according to claim 7, wherein, Specifically comprising the following steps: S1, a pair of first transmission belts (532) rotate at the same speed in opposite directions, the through holes (13) of the plurality of ball cores (12) are arranged longitudinally and sequentially enter between the pair of first transmission belts (532), the longitudinally adjacent support seats (533) on the pair of first transmission belts (532) clamp and horizontally transport the through holes (13) of the ball cores (12); in the process of transportation, the poking block (543) moves in the strip-shaped groove (511); when the valve rod hole (14) of the ball core (12) is not arranged downward, the poking block (543) can elastically contact the surface of the ball core (12) to poke, so that the ball core (12) rotates on the support seat (533) until the valve rod hole (14) of the ball core (12) is arranged downward and smoothly passes through the poking block (543); when the valve rod hole (14) of the ball core (12) is arranged downward, the poking block (543) can pass through the valve rod hole (14) of the ball core (12) without contact, without affecting the poking of the poking block (543) to other ball cores (12); after the transported ball core (12) is poked and aligned, the ball core (12) is horizontally transported to the waiting platform (520); S2, the support turntable (20) rotates to rotate the valve body (11) on which the valve rod assembly is completed to the assembly station; the second cylinder (470) drives the sliding block (431) to move upward, drives the support shaft (433) to move upward through the first supporting arm (432), the support shaft (433) is slid in the guide groove (441) through the third supporting arm (437), so that the support shaft (433) rotates clockwise by 90° during movement, the second supporting arm (434) fixedly connected to the support shaft (433) is turned from horizontal to vertical position, and the pair of clamping plates (436) are longitudinally located on both sides of the through hole (13) of the ball core (12) on the waiting platform (520) and clamp the end side of the ball core (12); S3, when the clamping of the end side of the ball core (12) is completed, the sliding block (431) moves downward, the support shaft (433) rotates counterclockwise by 90° during movement, the second supporting arm (434) fixedly connected to the support shaft (433) is turned from vertical to horizontal position, the ball core (12) is located on the valve body (11) to be assembled, and the valve rod hole (14) on the ball core (12) is radially arranged and matched with the valve rod; then the clamping plates (436) are loosened to the ball core (12), the lower pressing plate (62) moves downward to push the ball core (12) into the valve body (11) and match the valve rod hole (14) with the valve rod; S4, when the ball core (12) and valve body (11) assembly at the same time, the next ball core (12) is transported to the waiting platform (520) laterally, waiting for transfer assembly; support turntable (20) continues to rotate, the valve body (11) is transferred, and the next valve stem assembly is rotated to the assembly station; the second support arm (434) continues to turn from horizontal to vertical position, a pair of clamping plates (436) clamps the end side of the ball core (12); thereafter the second support arm (434) turns from vertical to horizontal position, a pair of clamping plates (436) releases the end side of the ball core (12), the lower plate (62) moves downward, pushes the ball core (12) into the valve body (11), and the valve stem hole (14) matches the valve stem; the assembly between the ball core (12) and the valve body (11) is repeated in turn.

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